Toy typewriter



June 23, 1942. R, J. LOHR my TYPEWRITEVR s Sheets-Sheet s Filed April 6, 1939 m T N E V m ATTORNEY Patented June 23, 1942 UNITED STATS TENT OFFICE TOY TYPEWRITER Application April 6, 1939, Serial No. 266,315

13 Claims.

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a toy typewriter.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve toy typewriters. A more particular object is to preserve the simplicity of a machine using a rotatable type wheel, while at the same time obtaining the realism of actuating a simulated keyboard to print the desired character. For this purpose the type wheel is mounted on a rocker, and the simulated keyboard is movably mounted in the frame of the machine and so connected to the rocker that depression of the keyboard moves the type wheel against the platen of the paper carriage. Another object of the present invention is to facilitate rapid selection of the character to be printed, and this is done, first, by bringing the selector to the very front of the machine, second, by using the same in cooperation with a large and well spread scale of characters, and third, by operating the same oscillatably about a pivot, so that its movement is smooth and easy.

Further objects of the invention center about the spacer means for moving the carriage, and one such object is to provide an elongated spacer bar which simulates the spacer bar of a real typewriter and which is similarly located at the front of the keyboard. Another object is to obtain the desired step by step or spacing movement by means of the same mechanism regardless of whether or not characters are printed. For this purpose, the spacer bar is supported on arms which underlie the keyboard. Depression of the spacer bar alone causes a spacing movement of the carriage, and depression of the keyboard is accompanied by movement of the spacer bar, thus providing the normal spacing between printed characters. Another object is to simplify the method of freeing the' carriage for return movement, or for free adjustment, and for this purpose the spacer bar itself is so related to' the feed dog and holding dog of the carriage that continued depression of the spacer bar retracts both dogs and thereby frees the carriage.

Further objects of the invention center about the ribbon feed mechanism. The ribbon is gradually moved by means of a reduction gear train, the first gear of which meshes with the teeth of the carriage. In accordance with a further feature and object of the present invention, the spacer bar is arranged when fully depressed, to disengage the gear train between the carriage teeth and the ribbon spool. This is desirable in order to prevent rapid unwinding of ribbon from the take-up spool during return movement of the carriage, or during free adjustment of the carriage on the machine.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the toy typewriter elements and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a simulated portable typewriter embodying features of the present invention, with the cover of the typewriter case open;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is aside elevation to reduced scale showing the cover in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the typewriter alone taken approximately in the plane of the line 34 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken in elevation in the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 5, but with unnecessary parts omitted to better show how depression of the keyboard produces a printing movement of the type wheel;

Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 5, but with unnecessary parts omitted to better explain the operation of the spacer bar;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section drawn to enlarged scale and taken approximately in the plane of the line B8 of Fig. '7, it being explanatory of the carriage feed and ribbon feed mechanisms; and

9 is a similar view showing the relation of the parts when the spacer bar is depressed to lowermost position.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly'to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a typewriter generally designated T simulates a portable typewriter and is preferably housed within a suitably dimensioned casing generally designated 0. The casing is made of sheet metal and comprises a peripherally flanged metal bottom l2 and a cover M." The cover is pivoted to bottom [2 by means of eyelets or rivets 16 passing through suitable ears .13 formed integrally with bottom l2. When cover [4 is closed, it may be latched by any suitable means, such as the tongue 2!) which is received in a mating slot 22 out through the front flange of the base l2. Cover I4 may also be provided with a handle 24, this handle in the present case being a U-shaped piece of rod or heavy wire, the ends of which are upset or riveted as at 25. The handle is preferably slidably received through holes in the front wall of the cover, so that it may be pulled out (see Fig. 2) when carrying the case and typewriter, but is readily pushed into the case (see Fig. 3) when storing the machine away.

The typewriter T is a complete machine'which is independent of and may be removed from the casing C. It is preferably secured to the base 12 of the casing, as by means of mounting screws passing through base l2 and received in mating threaded parts in the typewriter frame. The cover I4 is s designed that it turns back completely out of the way, as shown in Fig. 2, and it is therefore unnnecessary to remove the typewriter from the case, although it may be removed if desired.

The typewriter comprises a frame 36 on which a carriage 32 is slidably mounted. The carriage is provided with the usual rotatable platen 34 and this may be rotated by means of handles 36. The position of the paper is maintained by means of a spring detent 38 (Fig. l) secured to handle 36 and cooperating with a ring of stationary teeth 40.

The printing is accomplished by means of a rotatable type wheel 42 acting through an ink ribbon 44. The machine is provided with a simulated keyboard 46, and depression of the keyboard moves the type wheel 42 against platen 34. A spacer bar 48 is mounted in front of keyboard 46. Depression of the spacer bar alone moves the carriage 32 ahead for spacing between words, and depression of the keyboard 46 serves to also depress the spacer bar 48, thereby moving the carriage ahead for the normal spacing between characters. By depressing the spacer bar 48 extra far to its bottom-most position, the carriage 32 is freed for return movement, for free adjustment from side to side.

lffhe character to be printed is selected by means of a selector 58 which is located at the very front of the machine and which is therefore readily accessible. The selector 50 is movable from side to side, say from the solid line position 50 to the broken line position 50, and it cooperates with a large, easily read scale 52. The change from small to capital letters, or vice versa, is obtained by means of a shift arm 54 located immediately at the type wheel 42.

Considering the selector mechanism in greater detail, and referring more particularly to Fig. of the drawings, the type wheel 42 is fixedly mounted at the upper end of a shaft 56 which is rotatably carried in a type wheel bearing generall designated 58. At its lower endshaft 56 carries a type wheel gear 68. The complete selector comprises a selector gear sector 62 (Figs. 4 and 5) and a selector arm 64. Although these are jointed at 66 for relative movement in a vertical direction, they are fixedly related in respect to horizontal movement, and may for the present purpose be considered as constituting a single selector lever. The selector lever is pivoted at the point 68 which is located as far as possible toward the back of the machine. In fact. in the present machine the frame of the typewriter is pressed outwardly somewhat at to clear the pivot 68. Pivot 68 is carried by a selector pivot bearing 12 which. in the present case is made up of a plate M overlying sector 62 and rigidly secured to type wheel bearing 58 as by means of the spacers 16. The selector pivot bearing 12 may be further stiffened by means of sloping support arms 58 extending from type wheel bearing 58 back toward pivot bearing 12.

The operation will be clear from inspection of Fig. 4. The gear sector 62 is curved about pivot 68 as a center and similarly the scale 52 is curved about pivot 68 as a center. When, as in the present case, the selector comes from the bottom of the machine and is bent upwardly around the front edge of the machine, the front edge 88 is curved about pivot 68 as a center. The movement of teeth in type wheel gear 60 is selected to correspond to the movement of characters about the periphery of the type wheel. The range of movement of selector 50 is made adequate to produce a full revolution of the type wheel. The spacing of the characters on scale 52 is made such that the movement of pointer 82 from one character to another on the scale moves the type wheel gear, and consequently the type wheel, a corresponding amount to properly change the character being printed.

The keyboard mechanism may be described with particular reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. Before leaving Fig, 4, however, attention may be directed to the pivot rod 84 extending all the way from one side of the machine to the other, for the keyboard about to be described is pivotally mounted on this rod. Attention is also directed to the U-shaped member 86, the side walls 88 of which are oscillatable on pivot rod 84.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the keyboard 46 is pivoted on rod 84 by means of ears 9B, and also by means of member 86, the side walls 88 of which are fixedly secured to keyboard 46, as by means of bent tongue connections 92. Member 86 is connected to bearing 58 by means of links 94, these being pivotally connected to member at the pin 96.

The object of this arrangement is to produce a printing movement of type wheel 42 in response to depression of keyboard 46, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6. In the present case the movement of the type wheel is oscillatory rather than rectilinear. The pivot wheel 42 oscillates about trunnions I00 as a center. The type wheel may be said to be carried by a rocker, said rocker comprising the type wheel shaft bearing 58, and .further comprising the selector pivot'bearing 12. The rocker extends sidewardly all the way from one side of the machine to the other, as is indicated at H12 in Fig. 4, and terminates in trunnions I00 which are received in bearing holes in the side walls of the typewriter frame 30. As a matter of constructional detail, it may be pointed out that the type wheel shaft bearing 58 is preferably a die casting in order that a single casting may include the upper bearing I04, the lower bearing I86, the connecting arm I88 extending therebetween, and the shift cam H8 later described, and if desired, the sidewardly projecting extensions I02 leading to the trunnions I00. The selector pivot bearing 12 is preferably made of sheet metal parts, there being a plate 14 connected to bearing 58 by means of spacers 16, and stiffening arms 18 also connected to bearing 58, all as was previously described.

In Fig. 6, it will be seen how depression of the keyboard 46 about pivot pin 84 has moved the links 94 toward the right, and has thereby tilted the entire rocker assembly in a clockwise direction on trunnions I00 until type wheel 42 engages the platen 34 through the interposed ribbon 44. Normally, a sheet of paper is carried on platen 34, but this has been omitted in the drawing.

The reason for articulation of the selector, as at the point 66, will now be clear, for the gear sector 62 is oscillated with the rocker assembly' in order'to keep it in close and accurate mesh with gear 89. -The resulting rocking movement of gear sector 62 about the trunnions I68 as a center is accommodated by the joint at 86. In order to keep the gear sector in face to face relation with the plate I4 the latter is provided With a number of support lugs I I2 (Fig. 7), which are bent downwardly from plate I4 and around the toothed edge of gear sector 62 (but clearing the teeth of the gear sector). The type wheel and keyboard normally assume the position shown in Fig. 5 either by reason of the balance of the parts, or by using an appropriate restoring spring, or both.

The method of shifting from small letters to capitals, and vice versa, will be clear from inspection of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings. The type wheel 42 is provided with a double row of letters. The type wheel shaft 56 is axially reciprocable. When the type wheel and shaft are in the elevated position shown in Fig. 6, the printing is done with the lower row of letters. The type wheel may be held in this position by cooperation between the shift arm 54 and cam I5 formed on top of bearing m4. In Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that shift arm 54 is rotatable about the type wheel shaft 55, and that it is provided with cam follower projections I I4. These are rounded and ride smoothly on the top of cam IIQ. Shift arm 54 also has a stop lug H6 which cooperates with appropriate motion limiting stops I I 8. Cam H0 is so shaped that when the shift lever is moved to one extreme, the type wheel prints with one row of letters, and when the shift lever is moved to its other extreme position the type wheel prints with the other row of letters. The type wheel is normally urged downwardly by means of compression spring I29 disposed between type wheel bearing 58 and gear 60. The teeth of gear 89 are made long enough in axial direction to accommodate the shifting of the type wheel without losing the desired mesh between the gear 68 and sector 82.

The carriage feed mechanism is next described with reference to Figs. 4, 7 and 8 of the drawing. Referring first to Fig. 4 the spacer bar 48 is carried on an arm or plate I22 having upwardly bent side walls i2 3 which are oscillatable on the pivot rod 84. Side walls :24 are connected to pusher fingers I25 and 528. The pusher finger I23 has to do with the ribbon feed mechanism, and may be disregarded at the moment. The pusher finger I28 pushes against an angle lever I38 pivoted at I 32, and thereby actuates the carriage feed dog I34. Referring now to Fig. 7, when the spacer bar is depressed from the broken line position 48' to the solid line position 48, the arm i22, E24 oscillates about pivot rod 84 and moves the pusher finger I28 to the right, the finger being pivotally connected thereto at I335.

The effect of this will be clear from inspection of 8 in which the toothed strip I 38 represents a continuous series of teeth along the carriage.

The strip depends from the lower front edge of the carriage, as shown in Fig. 7. The strip may be sheet metal, in which case the teeth may be formed by incising the strip vertically, and slightly twisting the metal between the incisions. The teeth have been shown solid in Fig. 8 because that makes their function clearer. Pusher finger I26 bears against angle lever 433 and turns the same in a clockwise direction, thereby retracting the feed dog I34. In Fig. 8 the feed dog has been moved only partly back. The feed dog is normally pulled toward the left by means of a pull spring I48, and this is preferably connected at a point I42 outside of pivot I44, so that the spring also urges the teeth of the dog toward the carriage teeth I 38. When the spacer bar is released it is raised by tension spring I46 pulling on the finger I26, and the feed dog I34 is pulled toward the left by its spring I40 in order to move the carriage ahead one step.

The machine further includes a holding dog I48 (Figs. 7 and 8'), said holding dog being slidahlc toward and away from the teeth I38 of the carriage. The holding dog I48 is normally pulled into engagement with teeth I38 by means of a spring I58. The teeth I38 and the teeth of holding dog I48 are so faced as to permit forward movement of the carriage, but to prevent backward or return movement of the same. Thus the holding dog I48 may remain in engagement with the teeth I38 during repeated step by step operation of the feed dog I34.

As so far described, it will be appreciated that a space between words is readily obtained by simply depressing the spacer bar 48 from the broken line position 48' of Fig. 7 to the solid line position 48. The same feed mechanism is also used to feed the carriage during printing of letters, that is, for the normal spacing between successive letters in a word. The manner in which this is done will be clear from inspection of Fig. 6 in which it will be seen that depression of the keyboard 46 is accompanied by depression of the spacer bar 48, because the support or arm I22 of spacer bar 48 is disposed immediately beneath the keyboard 46. This will also be clear from Fig. 5 which shows the parts in normal or elevated position. The elevated position is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 6, and it will be understood that depression of the keyboard from the position 46' to the position 45 is invariably accompanied by depression of the spacer bar from the position 48' to the position 48.

In order to move the carriage backward, or in order to freely move the same from side to side, it is necessary to retract both the feed dog I34 and the holding dog I48. In the present machine this is done by depressing the spacer bar 48 an abnormal amount to its lowermost limit of movement. Referring to Fig. 7 the carriage is 'released by depressing the spacer bar all the way from normal position 48' to bottom-most position 48". The manner in which this excess movement of the spacer bar retracts both dogs may be explained with reference to Fig. 9. The additional forward movement of pusher finger I25 oscillates angle lever I 38 further in a clockwise direction, and this moves the feed dog I34 further toward the right. A downwardly bent flange I52 at the right hand end of the feed dog then comes into camming engagement with a stationary cam surface I 54 on the machine frame. This camming surface oscillates the feed dog I34 in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby causing a flanged part I56 thereof to bear against a sideward projection I58 on holding dog I48. The feed dog thus moves the holding dog out of engagement with the carriage teeth I38, and both dogs are held in disengaged position so long as the spacer bar is depressed to its bottom-most position. This action may be compared with that shown in Fig. 8, for during the normal feed movement of feed dog I34 the flange I56 does not engage the sideward projection I58 of the holding dog and the flange I52 does not engage the camming surface I54 (or may engage it but not enough to release the holding dog I48).

Referring to Fig. 1, the ribbon 44 is fed from a spool I68 through a guide I62 to another guide I64, and then on to a take-up spool I66. A spaced pair of thin spring fingers I68 may be provided to prevent interference by the ribbon with the insertion of sheets of paper around the platen 34. The spools I68 and I66 are releasably secured in position as by means of wing nuts I18. The spool I68 is freely rotatable, except for a slight frictional resistance produced, for example, by way of an axial compression spring such as the spring I 12, best shown in Fig. 2. The spool I66 is moved with a very slow gradual movement in order to present a fresh portion of the inked ribbon to the type wheel.

The mechanism for this purpose may be described with reference to Fig. 8 of the drawings. The spool-is mounted on a shaft I14. It is driven from the carriage teeth I38 as by means of a train of speed reduction gearing comprising a gear I16 adapted to engage teeth I38, and itself secured to a pinion I18 which in turn meshes with a gear I88 mounted on spool shaft I14. It will be evident that with gear I16 in mesh with the carriage teeth I38, the spool shaft I14 is given a minute step by step movement as the carriage is moved along with its step by step movement, and despite the slope of teeth I38.

The rotation of the ribbon. take-up spool I65 should beat all times in one direction, for if turned in the opposite direction a loop of slack would immediately form between the spools. It is, therefore, necessary to make the ribbon feed mechanism inoperative during backward or return movement of the carriage. For this purpose a part of the gear train may be disengaged, and in the present case, the initial gear I16 is physically disengaged from the carriage teeth I38, as is clearly shown in Fig. 9. It was previously mentioned that the spacer bar 48 is connected not only to pusher finger I26 but also to a second and generally similar pusher finger I28. Pusher finger I28 bears against an arm I82 extending sidewardly from a plate I84, which plate carries the ribbon feed gearing. Plate I84 is oscillatable about shaft I14 as an axis. The gearing is normally moved into engagement with the carriage teeth by means of a pull spring I86. Forward movement of pusher finger I28, however, oscillates the plate in a counter-clockwise direction and disengages the gearing from the carriage teeth. This disengagement need not take place for'normal spacing, and need only take place when the carriage is freed for return movement. In other words, it need only take place when the parts are in the relation shown in Fig. 9. From another viewpoint, it may be said that the gearing need only be disengaged when the holding dog I48 is retracted. In the present case, it will be seen that gear I16 is almost disengaged (Fig. 8) from teeth I38 during partial depression of the spacer bar for ordinary step by step movement of the feed carriage. This is not at all essential, and is readily eliminated by slightly shortening the pusher finger I28 in order to provide a slight lost motion between the pusher finger and the arm I82. However, no harm results if gear I16 is moved slightly away from teeth I38 during normal spacing movement, the reason for this being that downward movement of the spacer bar produces only a preparatory or retractive movement of the carriage feed dog I34. The actual feed movement of the carriage takes place when the spacer bar is released, and at that time the ribbon feed gear I16 again moves back into engagement with the carriage teeth I38.

The machine further comprises a bell I98 (Fig. 1) mounted beneath the cover plate I92 and adapted to be struck by a bell clapper I94 under the influence of a spring I96 whenever the projecting end I98 of the bell clapper arm is moved slightly to the left and released. This is done by a cooperating projection on the typewriter carriage, said projection not being visible in the drawings because it is located substantially at the type wheel when the carriage is in the midposition shown. This projection reaches andtrips the arm I98 when the carriage reaches or nears the end of its useful range of movement.

The paper carriage, in addition to the platen 34 previously referred to, also comprises a back plate 288, this plate being carried on end pieces 282. The preferred curved shape of back plate 288 will be clear from inspection of Fig. '1. Reverting to Figs. 1 and 2 the end plates 282 preferably carry rods or spindles 284 and 285. The spindle 286 has rubber wheels 288 mounted thereon, these wheels bearing directly against the platen 34 through a window cut through a part of the back plate, as is best shown in Fig. 7. The wheels 288 provide a frictional grip between the paper and platen 34 so that movement of the platen feeds the paper. The spindle 284 carries rubber wheels 2I8. These also increase the friction between the paper and the platen, but that is not their primary function. The main reason for using the front or top wheels 2I8 is to keep the sheet of paper in a dropped or rearward position as it leaves the platen, this being schematically indicated by the broken line 2 I2 in Fig. '1. In order to help guide the paper to the front rollers 2I8, the machine is preferably provided with stationary guides 2I4, the location of which is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but the function of which will be clear from inspection of Fig. 7.

The frame of the typewriter probably requires no detailed description, but it may be mentioned that it comprises side plates 228 (Figs. 2 and 7), these side plates being inwardly flanged at the top, as is indicated at 222, in Fig. l. The forward ends of the side plates are connected by the front member 224 having a curved, downwardly bent front edge 88 and a straight rear edge 226. The top and rear edges of the side plates 228 are connected by means of a single plate, the configuration of which is best shown in Fig. '1. It comprises a forward top portion 228 and a rearward top portion 238 connected by a downwardly bent or channel portion 232. The rear plate 234 is formed integrally with the top members and encloses the rear of the typewriter frame. A forward portion 236 is also formed integrally with the top portions and acts as a spacer between the side plates and stiffens the typewriter frame. This front portion 236 is cut away at appropriate points to form apertures through which keyboard and spacer bar linkage extends.

The carriage is guided in its movement by a stationary track 238 secured on top of the rear portion 238 previously referred to. This track is most clearly shown in Fig. 6. The typewriter carriage includes a channeled member which encompasses the edges of track 238, as is best shown in Fig. 7. For the sake of appearance the forward top portion of the frame is enclosed by means of a smoothly curved shield or cover I92, this being .best shown in Figs. land 2. The top of the cover is cut away on the curved line 248 in order to clear the shift arm 56 and the ribbon spools I69 and I68, and it is for this reason that the cover has very little surface when viewed on the center section of Figs. and 6.

The keyboard 46 is preferably formed from a single piece of sheet metal. This piece of sheet metal is stepped in order to simulate the conventional banks of keys, and the front and side edges of the keyboard are preferably flanged in order to rigidify the same. The keyboard is further stiffened by the parts attached thereto as previously explained. The top surface of the keyboard is preferably embossed to provide raised rings M2 with the sunken circular depressions Edd therewithin, as is best shown in Fig. 1. These simulate individual keys. The sunken parts 25 may be colored and provided with characters thereon all in contrast with the main stepped surface of the keyboard plate 4'6, thereby increasing the resemblance to a real typewriter.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the selector 58 has been shown in mid-position and the particular handle here shown projects somewhat beyond the edge of the outer casing. This is of no consequence, because the selector 59 is readily moved to one side or the other a small amount, whereupon it no longer interferes with closing of the outer case. In Fig. 1, it may be noted that the top surface of the type wheel is provided with a series of characters corresponding to the raised characters on the periphery of the wheel. These character designations on the top of the wheel are not at all essential and they may be omitted for purposes of economy. In Fig. 1, it will be noted that the selector 50 points at the letter O and that the type Wheel 42 similarly has the letter 0 adjacent the platen in printing position. However, only one point of registration is needed when as sembling the parts of the typewriter, and the top of the type wheel 42 may be given a single arbitrary line or pointer to facilitate the desired registration of the parts when assembling the machine.

It is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the many advantages of the present improved toy typewriter will be clear from the foregoing detailed description thereof. The letters to be printed are selected by sliding the selector at the front of the machine to the proper letter on the enlarged scale. To change to capital letters (or the inner row of characters on the scale), the shift arm at the type wheel is moved toward the left. To print the letters it is merely necessary to depress the stepped keyboard, the fingers being placed anywhere on the keyboard, but preferably on the lower two rows, as this provides greater leverage. Spacing between letters is automatically provided. Spacing between words is accomplished by depressing the elongated spacer bar in front of the keyboard. Spacing between lines is obtained by turning either of the knobs at the ends of the carriage or platen. To move the carriage toward the right or to freely adjust it back and forth the spacer bar is moved all the way down. The typewriter ribbon is moved automatically but must be rewound manually. To do this, it is simply necessary to press the spacer bar all the way down and to then turn the right hand spool until the ribbon is wound up thereon. To insert a new ribbon the spools may be removed, and pieces of standard typewriter ribbon may be used on the spools supplied with the present machine.

has been shown and described in a preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims. Certain features disclosed but not claimed herein are claimed in my copending application Serial No. 357,081, filed September 1'7, 1940, and entitled Toy typewriter, said co-pending application being a division of the present application.

I claim:

1. A toy typewriter comprising a frame, a carriage slidable on said frame, a rotatably mounted type wheel, means supporting said type wheel for movement toward and away from said carriage in order to print a type character, a simulated keyboard bodily movably mounted in the frame, a type selector located remote from and operable independently of the keyboard for rotating the type wheel to select a type character, and means so connecting the said keyboard and said type wheel supporting means that depression of the keyboard causes a printing movement of the type wheel.

2. A toy typewriter comprising a frame, a carriage slidable on said frame, a rotatable platen on said carriage, a rotatable type wheel, a rocker supporting said type wheel for movement toward and away from said platen, a simulated keyboard pivotally mounted in the frame, a type selector located remote from and operable independently of the keyboard for rotating the type wheel to select a type character, and linkage so connecting the said keyboard and said rocker that depression of the keyboard causes a printing movement of the type wheel against the platen.

3. A toy comprising a frame, a carriage slidable on said frame, feed mechanism for moving said carriage, a rotatable type wheel, a simulated keyboard movably mounted in the frame, a type selector located remote from and operable independently of the keyboard for rotating the type wheel to select a type character, means so connecting the said keyboard and said type wheel that depression of the keyboard causes a printing movement of the type wheel, an independently movable spacer bar extending longitudinally in front of said keyboard for substantially the entire length of the keyboard, and linkage between said spacer bar and said feed mechanism for advancing the carriage in response to movement of the spacer bar, a part of the spacer bar linkage being so disposed that depression of the keyboard is accompanied by movement of the spacer bar linkage.

4. A toy typewriter comprising a frame, a carriage slidable on said frame, a feed dog for moving said carriage with a step by step movement, a rotatable type wheel, means supporting said type wheel for movement toward and away from said carriage in order to print a type character, a simulated keyboard movably mounted in the frame, a type selector located remote from and operable independently of the keyboard for rotating the type wheel to select a type character, means so connecting the said keyboard and said type wheel supporting means that depression of the keyboard causes printing movement of the type wheel, an independently movable spacer bar extending longitudinally in front of said keyboard for substantially the entire length of the keyboard, and linkage between said spacer and said feed dog for advancing the carriage in response to return movement of the It will be apparent that while the invention pacer bar, a part of the spacer bar linkage being so disposed beneath the keyboard that depression of the keyboard is accompanied by depression of the spacer bar linkage for normal spacing between successive type characters.

5. A toy typewriter comprising a frame, a carriage slidable on said frame, a rotatable platen on said carriage, appropriate feed and holding dogs for moving said carriage with a step by step movement, a rotatable type wheel, a rocker supporting said type wheel for movement toward and away from said platen, a simulated keyboard pivotally mounted in the frame, a type selector located remote from and operable independently of the keyboard for rotating the type wheel to select a type character, means so connecting the said keyboard and said rocker that depression of the keyboard causes printing movement of the type wheel, a spacer bar extending longitudinally in front of said keyboard for substantially the entire length of the keyboard, pivoted support arms for said spacer bar, and linkage between said spacer bar and said feed dog for advancing the carriage in response to return movement of the spacer bar, the support arms of the spacer bar being so disposed beneath the keyboard that depression of the keyboard is accompanied by depression of the spacer bar for normal spacing between successive type characters.

6. A toy typewriter comprising a stationary frame, a carriage slidable thereon, a type wheel carried on a generally upright shaft on said frame, a gear on said shaft, and a selector pivoted near the back of the typewriter and extending to the forward part of the typewriter, the

forward end of said selector terminating in a pointer cooperating with an arcuate scale of characters, an intermediate part of said selector including an internally toothed gear sector meshing with the forward teeth of the aforesaid gear.

7. A toy typewriter comprising a frame, a carriage slidable thereon, a type wheel carried on a generally upright shaft on said frame, a gear on said shaft, a selector pivoted near the back of the typewriter and extending to the forward part of the typewriter, the forward end of said selector terminating in a pointer cooperating with an arcuate scale of characters, an intermediate part of said selector including an internally toothed gear sector meshing with the forward teeth of the aforesaid gear, and means to move the type wheel into and out of printing engagement with the carriage.

8. A toy typewriter comprising a stationary frame, a carriage slidable thereon, a type wheel carried on a generally upright shaft on said frame, a gear on said shaft, a selector having a rear portion pivoted near the back of the type writer and a front portion extending to the forward part of the typewriter, the front portion of said selector terminating in a pointer cooperating with an arcuate scale of characters, the rear portion of said selector including a gear sector meshing with the aforesaid gear, means to move the type wheel shaft toward the carriage for printing engagement of the type wheel therewith, means to cause the rear portion of the selector to move with the type wheel shaft, and a horizontal pivot between the front and rear portions of the selector affording movement of the rear portion about said pivot, while preventing relative movement of the front and rear portions in a sideward direction.

9. A toy typewriter comprising a stationary frame having an arcuate front'edge, a-carriage slidable thereon, a cylindrical platen rotatably mounted on said carriage, a type wheel carried on a generally upright shaft on said frame, a gear at the lower end of said shaft, a selector pivoted near the back of the typewriter and extending to the forward edge of the typewriter, the forward end of said selector terminating in a pointer at the front edge of the frame coopcrating with arcuate scale of characters adjacent said front edge, an intermediate part of said selector including an internally toothed gear sector meshing with the forward teeth of the aforesaid gear, and means to move the type wheel into and out of printing engagement with the platen, without disturbing the engagement of the gear and sector.

10. A toy typewriter comprising a stationary frame, a carriage slidable thereon, a rocker mounted in said frame on horizontal trunnions, a type wheel carried on a generally upright shaft rotatably mounted in said rocker, a gear at the lower end of said shaft, a selector having a rear portion pivoted on said rocker near the back of the typewriter and having a front portion extending to the forward part of the typewriter, the front portion of said selector terminating in a pointer cooperating with an arcuate scale of characters, the rear portion of said selector including a gear sector meshing with the aforesaid gear, means to tilt the rocker in order to move the type wheel toward or away from the carriage, and a joint between the front and rear portions of the selector affording relative rocking movement without disturbing the engagement of said gear and sector but preventing relative sideward movement.

11. A toy typewriter comprising a stationary frame, a carriage slidable thereon, a type wheel carried on a generally upright shaft on said frame, a gear on said shaft, a selector lever pivoted near the back of the typewriter and extending to the forward part of the typewriter, the forward end of said selector terminating in a pointer cooperating with a stationary arcuate scale of characters, an intermediate part of said selector including a gear sector meshing with the aforesaid gear, a simulated keyboard movably mounted in said frame, and linkage so connecting said keyboard to the type wheel that depression of the keyboard moves the type wheel toward the carriage for printing engagement therewith.

12. A toy typewriter comprising a stationary frame, a carriage slidable thereon, a type wheel carried on a generally upright shaft on said frame, a gear on said shaft, a selector pivoted near the back of the typewriter and extending to the forward part of the typewriter, the forward end of said selector terminating in a pointer cooperating with a stationary arcuate scale of characters, an intermediate part of said selector including a gear sector meshing with the aforesaid gear, a simulated keyboard movably mounted in said frame, linkage so connecting said keyboard to the, type wheel that depression of the keyboard moves the type wheel toward the carriage, a spacer bar in front of said keyboard, and means carrying said spacer bar and disposed beneath the keyboard, whereby movement of the keyboard is accompanied by movement of the spacer bar for normal spacing between characters.

13. A toy t-ypewriter'comprising a stationary frame, a carriage slidable thereon, a cylindrical platen rotatably mounted on saidcarriage, atype mounted in said frame, linkage so connecting said keyboard to the rocker that depression of the keyboard moves the type Wheel against the platen, a spacer bar in front of said keyboard, and means carrying said spacer bar and disposed beneath the keyboard, whereby movement of the keyboard is accompanied by movement of the spacer bar for normal spacing between characters.

RAYMOND J. LOHR. 

